The History of Chinese Animation I

The History of Chinese Animation

China has been one of the first countries to develop its own aesthetic for dynamic images and to create animation films with distinctive characteristics. In recent years, however, and subject to the influence of Western and Japanese animation, the Chinese animation industry has experienced several new stages of development, prompting the question as to where animation in China is heading in the future. This book describes the history, present and future of China’s animation industry. The author divides the business’s 95-year history into six periods and analyses each of these from a historical, aesthetic, and artistic perspective. In addition, the book focuses on representative works, themes, directions, artistic styles, techniques, industrial development, government support policies, business models, the nurturing of education and talent, broadcasting systems, and animation. Scholars and students who are interested in the history of Chinese animation will benefit from this book and it will appeal additionally to readers interested in Chinese film studies.

Sun Lijun, Professor, Vice President of Beijing Film Academy and Presi- dent of China Animation Institute of BFA. He was appointed as the Vice President of BFA in 2012. Sun Lijun is one of the experts who receive State Council special allowance. He has directed several animated feature films, such as The Little Solider, Happy Running, Legend of a Rabbit, and Harvest, among others. Since 2005 his animated feature films have been screened internationally, including at the Berlin International Film Festival, Annecy Film Festival, Ukraine International Film Festival, Seoul International Film Festival, and more. His films have won many top awards both domestic and abroad, such as the Best Animated Film of 28th and 29th Golden Rooster Awards, which are the top awards given by Chinese government to the most outstanding and talented artists. China Perspectives

The China Perspectives series focuses on translating and publishing works by leading Chinese scholars, writing about both global topics and China-related themes. It covers Humanities and Social Sciences, Education, Media, and Psychology, as well as many interdisciplinary themes. This is the first time any of these books have been published in English for international readers. The series aims to put forward a Chinese perspective, give insights into cutting-edge academic thinking in China, and inspire re- searchers globally.

Titles about the arts currently include:

Establishment of “Drama” Orientation Transition of the Research Paradigm of Chinese Dramas in the 1920s and 1930s Zhang Yifan

Embodiment and Disembodiment in Live Art From Grotowski to Hologram Shi Ke

China in the Age of Global Capitalism Jia Zhangke’s Filmic World Wang Xiaoping

The History of Chinese Animation Edited by Sun Lijun

For more information, please visit https://www.routledge.com/series/CPH The History of Chinese Animation I

Edited by Sun Lijun

TRANSLATED BY SHI YI AND LI JUNTING First published in English 2020 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2020 selection and editorial matter, Sun Lijun; individual chapters, the contributors Translated by Shi Yi and Li Junting The right of Sun Lijun to be identified as the author of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. English version by permission of The Commercial Press. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Sun, Lijun, 1964– editor. Title: The history of Chinese animation / [compiled by] Lijun Sun; translated by Shi Yi and Li Junting. Other titles: Zhongguo dong hua shi yan jiu. English. | Research on the history of Chinese animation Description: Abingdon, Oxon; New York: Routledge, 2020. | Series: China perspectives | Translation of: Zhongguo dong hua shi yan jiu. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019032989 (print) | LCCN 2019032990 (ebook) | ISBN 9780367427511 (hbk) | ISBN 9780367854867 (ebk) Subjects: LCSH: Animated films—China—History. | Animation (Cinematography)—China—History. Classification: LCC NC1766.C6 Z4813 2011 (print) | LCC NC1766.C6 (ebook) | DDC 741.5/80951—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019032989 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019032990

ISBN: 978-0-367-42751-1 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-367-85486-7 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by codeMantra Contents

Preface vii Acknowledgments viii List of figures ix List of contributors xxiv

PART I The embryonic stage and birth of Chinese animation (1920s–1930s) 1

1 Overview 3 2 The embryonic stage and birth of Chinese animation consciousness 5 3 Modern Chinese animation 16

PART II Early Chinese animation between the years of 1931 and 1948 43

4 Overview 45 5 Chinese animation during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression 47 6 Art film team of the Northeast Film Studio 83

PART III The development of Chinese animation between the years of 1949 and 1977 95

7 Overview 97 8 Founding of Shanghai Animation Film Studio 99 vi Contents 9 Enlightened education in animation 132 10 Blockbuster works 136 11 Ink-wash animation in China 211 12 Havoc in Heaven, the first cartoon feature film 230 13 Summary of the characteristics of animation creation in the period 267 14 Representative works from the 1950s to the 1970s in Hong Kong, China 283 15 The creation background and representative works in Taiwan, China in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s 288

Bibliography 291 Index 293 Preface

As practitioners of animated film, we have the responsibility to grasp the cultural inheritance function of animation and film. And in this regard, what we should do first is to respect history. Film and animation are a kind of art; therefore, we should first respect such art and realize and insist on their function of cultural inheritance and transmission. Animation creation also carries the function of cultural inheritance and transmission and animation acts as the nourishment for the mind that delivers our long history and national culture to younger generations. Facts have proved that the power and achievements generated by any art form, such as film, animation or painting, in combination with its own national cultural tradition or national spirit, are so influential and mean- ingful that they cannot be ignored even in the western countries with their advanced animation technologies. Acknowledgments

This book won’t have been possible without the research and interviews done by editorial board members including Wang Hao, Liu Mengya, Ma Hua, Zhang Yu, Zhang Wenzheng, Yu Luo, Li Guyu and Tan Hui. I am immensely grateful to the book’s associate editors Li Jianping and Wang Hao. The two led the editorial board members, mostly PhD candidates and professors, to untiringly search for archival materials and interview a number of longtime animation experts at Shanghai Animation Film Studio, including Yan Dingxian, Zhang Songlin, Duan Xiaoxuan, Hu Jinqing, Qian Yunda and Huang Yushan, among others. These experts created the first prosperity of Chinese animation industry and left us an enormous legacy in animation art. This book represents our heartfelt gratitude and tribute to them. My thanks also go to Professor Joy Yuhua Zhu at the New York Film Academy, Professor Cao Xiaohui at the Beijing Film Academy and Taiwan- ese animation export Yu Wai-ching, who did their utmost to make this book possible. The book is selected in the program of 2019 “China Book International”, and has attracted attention of people of all circles around the world. Here, we’d like to express our special thanks to the New York Film Academy for its huge support and contribution to the making of the book.

Sun Lijun Figures

2.1–2.2 Paleolithic rock paintings of Yinshan Mountains in Inner Mongolia. The painting is presumed to depict the religious or sorcery acts and images of people’s working and sacrificing at that time. These images record shapes of animals standing and running, which are the earliest breakdown drawings of animal movements 8 2.3 Neolithic rock paintings of Cangyuan County in Yunnan Province. They reflect human activities, including hunting, dancing, sacrificing, and war 9 2.4 A dance-themed painted pottery basin of the Neolithic Majiayao Culture, discovered in Qinghai Province, China, over 4,000 or 5,000 years ago, depicts a riverside crowd, dancing hand in hand. Two lines are drawn on the arms of the two people at each end of the group, which may be our ancestors’ earliest attempt to manifest human sequential actions 10 2.5 L eather-silhouette play is also a forerunner of later invented film as it is the earliest dynamic art form. Among contemporary film arts,l eather-silhouette technology also provides a new technological means for animated production, creating a new film type for cartoons 12 2.6 Puppetry show. Puppetry, like leather-silhouette play, has preserved the Chinese national culture for thousands of years while laying a deep cultural foundation for the development of animation 13 2.7–2.9 Hand shadow play performed by hands through projection of light. It is the earliest behavioural consciousness of film and animation, and a natural reflection of human desire to imitate and voluntarily manipulate 13 x Figures 2.10 H uman shadow play that originated from the Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties (photo was shot in the China National Film Museum) 15 3.1–3.2 P eople were watching the zoetrope in the late Qing Dynasty. The zoetrope laid the foundation for the future development of animation and became a popular commercial product at the same time. It promoted the understanding of animation to more people, which facilitated the maturity of animation consciousness 17 3.3 Portrait of Daguerre by Daguerreotype 19 3.4 Daguerreotype was used in portrait photography 20 3.5 The Lumière brothers, who invented film 20 3.6–3.9 Fragment of Autour d’une cabine from 1895. This cartoon was already equipped with all the characteristics of modern cartoons, such as a fixed show time, an ingenious plot, typical characters, gimmicks, special effects cinematography, a compact and lively storyline, synchronized music, beautiful scenery, and moving colours 21 3.10 Famous film master Georges Méliès 23 3.11–3.14 Fragment of Le Voyage à travers l’impossible 23 3.15–3.16 China’s first movie wasThe Battle of Mount Dingjun, shot by Beijing Fengtai Photo Studio in 1905 27 3.17 A film shoot in Shanghai during the 1930s. Shanghai was the birthplace of China’s films.The Difficult Couple, shot in 1913 by the X inmin Company organized by Zhang Shichuan, Zheng Zhengqiu, and Jing Yingsan, was China’s first narrative short. Shanghai’s film industry experienced development amid troubles in the 1920s, and movie types were also enriched, including action film and romance. By the 1930s, Shanghai had already became another Hollywood of the world’s film industry, with an annual production of 400 to 500 feature films, which were not only loved by domestic audiences but also popular in Southeast Asia 29 3.18 S tage photo of Zhuangzi Tests His Wife in 1913. This was the first feature film produced by Hong Kong, which also initiated the Cantonese opera film 30 3.19 Stage photo of Song of the Fisherman in 1935. This film won the Moscow Film Festival honorary award in 1935. This was the first time a Chinese movie gained an international reputation 30 Figures xi 3.20 Photo of the Nanjing Road – the commercial center and street in old Shanghai 33 3.21 Wan Laiming (1900–1997) 34 3.22 Wan Guchan (1900–1995) 34 3.23 Wan Chaochen (1906–1992) 35 3.24–3.25 The Wan brothers’ mother taught them paper- cutting and hand shadows, so they were interested in shadow play from childhood and used to make their own shadow play to amuse themselves 37 3.26 S cene of the first Chinese painted animation film tested by the Wan brothers in Shanghai in 1922 38 5.1 Stage photo of the Red All over the River of Song Collection on the War of Resistance 48 5.2 Site photo of Wan brothers painting the Rat and Frog in 1934 49 5.3–5.4 Film of the animation Rat and Frog, created by Wan brothers 49 5.5 Photo of Wan Laiming at the release of Princess Iron Fan 56 5.6 P hoto of Wan Guchan at the release of Princess Iron Fan 57 5.7–5.14 Title: Princess Iron Fan; Screenwriter: Wang Qianbai; Director/animation: Wan Laiming, Wan Guchan, Wan Chaochen, and Wan Dihuan; Length: 80 minutes; Year: 1941; Producer: Shanghai Xinhua United Film Company 57 5.15 M ain characters of Princess Iron Fan – Monkey King 66 5.16 M ain characters of Princess Iron Fan – Pigsy Bajie 66 5.17 Main characters of Princess Iron Fan – Friar Sha 67 5.18 M ain characters of Princess Iron Fan – Monk Tang 67 5.19 M ain characters of Princess Iron Fan – King Bull 68 5.20 M ain characters of Princess Iron Fan – Vixen 68 5.21 Main characters of Princess Iron Fan – Princess Iron Fan 69 5.22 Role models of Princess Iron Fan – Monk Tang 69 5.23 Role models of Princess Iron Fan – Vixen and Pigsy Bajie 70 5.24 R ole models of Princess Iron Fan – Friar Sha 70 5.25–5.32 The characters in Princess Iron Fan are transformed with much more imagination. In the film, it is most represented by the fact that Monkey King transforms into a bug 72 5.33–5.35 Photos of the shooting site of Princess Iron Fan: carving models to resemble the live models; xii Figures making the head models of the characters in the film; and drawing the movements of the models 76 5.36–5.38 Work photos of Princess Iron Fan: producers drawing the scenes of the film; producers shooting the film;p roducers drawing role images according to their facial expressions 78 5.39–5.41 T he background of Princess Iron Fan is pure Chinese landscape painting 79 6.1 Group photo of all the staff of the art film team of the Northeast Film Studio in Xingshan City in 1948 85 6.2 Chen Bo’er (1907–1951) was a Chinese perfomance artist and film entrepreneur. In 1950, she initiated and organized the establishment of the Institute of Performing Arts and served as its director. In 1956, the Institute was renamed Beijing Film Academy 86 6.3 Fang Ming (Tadahito Mochinaga) (first from right) was a Japanese animation expert. As early as 1947, he worked in the cartoon team of the Northeast Film Studio in the liberated area and participated in the early art film work in China. He participated in the shooting of China’s first puppet filmThe Emperor’s Dream and directed the animation Go After an Easy Prey 87 6.4–6.5 Title: The Emperor’s Dream; Screenwriter and director: Chen Bo’er; Length: 30 minutes; Year: 1947; Producer: Northeast Film Studio 87 6.6–6.7 Title: Go After an Easy Prey; Screenwriter: Zhu Dan; Director: Fang Ming; Length: 10 minutes; Year: 1948; Producer: Northeast Film Studio 91 6.8 S ouvenir photo of the art film team of the Northeast Film Studio in Changchun before moving to Shanghai. They were pioneers of the Chinese animation industry and made great contributions to it 93 8.1 T e Wei participated in the preparation of the Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio. He was one of the founding fathers of Chinese animation 99 8.2 This photo shows the original location of the Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 100 8.3 A nimation Thank you, Kitten in (1950); Screenwriter: Jin Jin; Director: Fang Ming; Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 101 8.4 A nimation Good Friends (1950); Screenwriter: Te Wei; Director: Te Wei; Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 102 Figures xiii 8.5 Animation Why is the Crow Black-Coated? (1955), Screenwriter: Yi Dan, Directors: Qian Jiajun and Li Keruo, Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 102 8.6 Animation Little Hero 1953, Screenwriter: Jin Xi, Director: Jin Xi; Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 103 8.7 Group photo of the animation workers of Shanghai Film Studio 104 8.8 Photo of Shanghai Film Studio at the beginning of its establishment 105 8.9 Animation work site of Shanghai Film Studio. After the art film team of the Northeast Film Studio moved to Shanghai and set up the Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio, it only took six years to set a complete process of production. Films of different stories were made. Colour puppet and paper-cut films were on trial too 105 8.10 Awards given to the puppet filmMagic Brush in 1955 were: the first prize of Literary Films for Children ranging from age 8 to 12 on the 8th Venice International Children’s Film Festival in Italy; the first prize of Silver Award for Animated Short Films on the 1st Damascus Film Festival in Syria; Best Motion Picture for Children on the 1st Belgrade International Children’s Film Festival in Yugoslavia; and the Specially Excellent Award for Puppet Films on the 2nd Warsaw International Children’s Film Festival in Poland 107 8.11 A ward given to the Animation Good Friends in 1954: the second prize of The Best Excellence by the Ministry of Culture 108 8.12 A wards given to Why is the Crow Black-Coated? in 1955: prize of the 8th Venice International Children’s Film Festival in Italy and the third prize of The Best Excellence by the Ministry of Culture 1949–1955 108 8.13 A ward given to the puppet filmA Witty Goat in 1956: award of the first Bucharest International Puppet Film Festival in Romania 109 8.14 Awards given to the animation Little Carp Jumps Gantry in 1958: silver medal for animations in the 1st Moscow International Film Festival Special Award and best animation at the 1st Chinese “Hundred Flowers Film Awards” 109 xiv Figures 8.15 Award given to the paper-cut filmThe Fishing Child in 1959: the second prize awarded by the judging panel of the 2nd National Youth and Children Art Creation 110 8.16 A ward given to the puppet filmInscription of Dragons in 1959: silver medal of the 2nd Bucharest International Puppet Film Festival in Romania 110 8.17 A wards given to ink-wash animation Where is Momma? in 1960 were Silver Sail Awards for short films at the 14th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, Children’s Film Awards at the 4th Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, Honorable prize at the 17th Cannes International Film Festival in France, the first prize at the 3rd World Festival of Animated Film Zagreb in Yugoslavia, the second prize at the 4th International Youth Award at Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, best animation at the 1st Chinese “Hundred Flowers Film Awards”, the first prize of the technological achievements given by the Ministry of Culture, and the second prize of national-level hi-tech inventions 111 8.18 Award given to the animation A Piece of Zhuang Brocade in 1960: honorary award at the 12th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia 111 8.19 A ward given to the animation The Radish Comes Back in 1960: honorary award at the 12th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia 112 8.20 Awards given to the paper-cutting animation Ginseng Doll in 1961: Honor Award at the 4th Leipzig International Documentary and Short Film Festival and Best Children’s Film Award at the 1st Alexander International Film Festival in Egypt 112 8.21 A ward given to the documentary Dramas in Hand in 1962: excellence award at the 13th Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia 113 8.22 A wards given to the animation Journey to the West (first part finished in 1961 and the second part finished in 1964): Special Award for Short on the 13th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia, the Best Motion Picture on the 22nd BFI London Film Festival in the United Kingdom, the first prize awarded by the judging panel of the 2nd National Youth and Children Figures xv Art Creation, the third prize at the 5th Quito International Children’s Film Festival in Ecuador, the Jury Award at the 12th Fe Gravel Dufour International Film Festival in Portugal, and Best Animation at the 2nd Chinese “Hundred Flowers Film Awards” 113 8.23 Award given to the paper-cut filmGolden Whelks in 1963: Lumumba Award at the 3rd Asian-African International Film Festival in Indonesia 114 8.24 Award given to the ink-wash animation Reed Pipe in 1963: the 3rd Odense International Film Festival in Demark 114 8.25 A ward given to the puppet filmThe Crowing Hen in Midnight in 1964: the second prize awarded by the judging panel of the 2nd National Youth and Children Art Creation 115 8.26 Award given to the animation Campo Hero Sister in 1965: the third prize awarded by the judging panel of the 2nd National Youth and Children Art Creation 115 8.27 Award given to the paper-cut filmAlmost in 1964: Youth Award at the 10th Tourre International Short Film Festival in France 116 8.28 Award given to the animation Trumpeter in 1973: award of the 2nd World Festival of Animated Film Zagreb in Yugoslavia 116 8.29 Award given to the paper-cut filmLittle Sentinel of East China Sea in 1973: award of the 2nd World Festival of Animated Film Zagreb in Yugoslavia 117 8.30 A ward given to the paper-cut filmBamboo Shoots in the House in 1976: the first prize of the 3rd World Festival of Animated Film Zagreb in Yugoslavia 117 8.31 Stage photos of animations Thank you, Kitten in 1950, Kitten Goes Fishing in 1952, and Good Friends in 1954. Clips of Good Friends 120 8.32 Kitten Goes Fishing (1952) 120 8.33 A cut from the animation Good Friends (annex 1) (1954) 121 8.34–8.36 T he Duckling swam with the current, and he suddenly raised his head and saw Chick Hua walking along the shore. He called: “Hua!” Seeing Duckling, Hua turned around, went behind the grass, and quickened her pace 121 8.37–8.39 H ua encountered five big geese after a short walk. One of them said: “Hua, you walk so far alone for xvi Figures playing?” “I, I, I’m going back.” Hua had to go back. The geese went across the bridge to the other side of the river 123 8.40–8.42 While walking, Hua secretly paid attention to the Duckling to see whether he was still in the river. All of a sudden, she was scared out of her wits at the sight of a weasel in the grass on the other side of the river! 124 8.43–8.45 Pulling herself together, she hurriedly ran away. Running for a while, she stopped because she saw Duckling still swimming in the river. She wanted to call him, but she didn’t and continued to run 126 8.46–8.48 Unfortunately, the Duckling happened to go on the opposite shore. He was tired. He shook off drops of water and combed his feathers. The weasel was stealthily approaching him 127 8.49–8.51 Hua almost ran up to the forest. But she stopped finally. Suddenly, she ran back faster. In a moment, she had arrived at the site where the Duckling swam. But he was not there. Hua was panicked: “Where is the Duckling?” Suddenly, she heard Duckling’s yell. Hua trembled all over and shouted as loud as she could: “Help! Help! The Duckling was caught by a weasel!” 129 8.52–8.54 Hearing Hua’s call for help, the geese hurriedly ran to Hua. The weasel happened to walk in the same direction as the geese. So, he met the geese when he turned around. The geese suddenly surrounded the weasel. Seeing the menacing situation, the weasel dropped the Duckling and desperately ran away from one side. The geese hurried to save the Duckling and had no time to run after the weasel. They surrounded the Duckling, and one said: “His leg was bitten.” 130 9.1 Qian Jiajun, founder of Chinese animation education giving a lecture to students. From left: Yan Dingxian, Dai Tielang, Lin Wenxiao, Qian Jiajun, A’da, and Hu Jinqing 133 9.2 Suzhou Arts Academy (today’s Canglang Pavilion) 134 9.3 Suzhou Arts Academy (today’s front door of Beijing Film Academy) 134 10.1–10.6 Title: The Proud General; Screenwriter: Hua Junwu; Director: Te Wei; Assistant director: Li Figures xvii Keruo; Length: 30 minutes; Year: 1956; Producer: Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 137 10.7 The modelling and actions of the animation The Proud General are based upon the movements observed in the Peking Opera 141 10.8–10.11 The protagonist of The Proud General originated from the “Jing” role and that of the sponger originated from the “Chou” role in the Peking Opera 141 10.12 T he background of The Proud General learned from the technique of traditional Chinese realistic paintings and strong colours of the murals 144 10.13 T e Wei, director of the animation The Proud General narrating the story to creators (10.13) 144 10.14 Chen Furui, artist of Peking opera, is also an instructor 145 10.15 Portrait of Chen Furui 145 10.16 Tang Cheng 146 10.17 Te Wei 146 10.18 Forbidden City in Beijing 147 10.19 E mperor Kangxi’s Summer Mountain Resort in Chengde, Hebei 147 10.20 Artists of the camera crew of The Proud General went to Beijing, S handong, Hebei (such as Forbidden City and Emperor Kangxi’s Summer Mountain Resort in Chengde), and other places to collect materials on ancient paintings, sculptures, and buildings, which provided materials for the creation of the background of this film 148 10.21–10.23 On the square were the flying flags and imposing forces. Flag-bearers, buglers, and soldiers with blades and shields in their hands were standing in rows. Swords and blades shined brightly, offending to eyes. Suddenly, as the blare, drum, and clop blended, the majestic general wearing a suit of armour rode a white horse to the square. Looking around, the general was majestic-looking 150 10.24–10.26 T he general got down from his horse and entered into the lofty arch, where people standing on both sides bowed to him. The general stepped on the hall and sat on a tiger skin chair. All the guests attended the victory banquet 152 10.27–10.29 A n old man raised his wine cup, saying: “I’d like to toast to you general. You have worked hard!” A sponger, wearing a hand towel and waving a folding fan, hurriedly said with an ingratiating smile: “You xviii Figures are amazing, and one hundred thousand troops and horses should be beaten at one blow by your general!” The general stroked his beard and smiled 153 10.30–10.32 A sponger sheepishly asked, “Dare the opponents to challenge the general?” The general’s face was black with rage. Suddenly he put down his cup, smiling and glancing around, with his eyes falling on the big bronze tripod outside the hall, and asked: “Guess how much does it weigh?” 155 10.33–10.35 Guests were stunned and couldn’t answer it. That guest waving his folding fan said: “In my opinion, it is at least four or five…six or seven…eight hundred jin (1/2 kilogram).” The general slightly nodded his head, letting out “hum,” and then, he stood up 156 10.36–10.38 He walked out of the hall, rolled up sleeves, squared up, and squatted down, holding the tripod and saying, “up!” Then the bronze tripod was held up high. Guests swarmed to the front of the hall, and all were stunned 158 10.39–10.41 Holding the bronze tripod, the general turned around, and suddenly raised straight up his arms. The bronze tripod flew into the air and made a circle, and then fell into his hands. All guests cheered up 159 10.42 Title: Magic Brush; Author of original work: Hong Xuntao; Screenwriter and director: Jin Xi; Assistant director: You Lei; Length: 20 minutes; Year: 1955; Producer: Animation Department of Shanghai Film Studio 161 10.43 Publications of “Magic Brush”: Magic Brush, written by Hong Xuntao, painted by Wan Laiming, Juvenile, and Children’s Publishing House, 1960 162 10.44 C omic strip Magic Brush, written by Hong Xuntao, painted by Zeng Youwei, People’s Fine Arts Publishing House, 1981 162 10.45 A cut from the animation Magic Brush (annex 2), French version. Written by Hong Xuntao, painted by Li Shiji, Foreign Languages Press, 1985 163 10.46–10.48 In the back hall of feudal official 165 10.49–10.50 The official was very glad that Ma agreed to paint. He rubbed his beard and said: “Paint a golden hill full of treasures” 166 10.51 Ma squinted at them, and walked to the wall with the magic brush 167 10.52–10.54 Seeing this, the official grinned and cried with joy: “Good! Paint me a grand vessel, and I will ship the treasure out of the golden hill!” 168 Figures xix 10.55 T he painter and some inferior officers also wanted to make a fortune, and they also rushed to the ship 169 10.56 The official got angry and pushed them down 170 10.57 But some of them were still reluctant to disembark and thus were kicked by the official into the sea and then floated away 170 10.58–10.60 Ma painted the wind. The wooden ship travelled forward with the sail billowing in the wind 171 10.61–10.62 T he official was scared. He stood on the bow and tightly held the mast, shouting to Ma: “The wind is so strong. Don’t paint anymore!...” 172 10.63 Ma ignored him and continued to paint the wind. The sea flared up, and giant waves crashed the ship, almost capsizing it 173 10.64–10.66 Clip of the cutout animation Pigsy Eats Watermelon 175 10.67 Stage photo of the paper-cut filmThe Fishing Child 179 10.68 S tage photo of the origami animation The Smart Duckling 180 10.69 S tage photo of the animation Scatterbrain and Crosspatch 182 10.70 S tage photo of the paper-cut filmBamboo Shoots in the House 183 10.71 Title: Campo Hero Sister; Screenwriters: He Yumen and Hu Tonglun; Directors: Qian Yunda and Tang Cheng; Length: 40 minutes; Year: 1964; Producer: Shanghai Film Studio 184 10.72 On February 10, 1964, Longmei and Yurong fought with a snowstorm and kept the sheep of the commune safe. They were thus awarded the honourable title of “Campo Hero Sister” by the Party committee of the autonomous region 185 10.73 Modelling design of the animation Campo Hero Sister 186 10.74 Lin Wenxiao and other designers of Campo Hero Sister concentrating on their work 186 10.75 Models of Longmei and Yurong in Campo Hero Sister together with Ulanhu, then president of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 187 10.76–10.77 Landscape of Ulanqab League of Inner Mongolia (today’s Ulanqab) 189 10.78–10.81 Title: Golden Whelks; Author of original work: Ruan Zhangjing; Screenwriter: Bao Lei; Director: Wan Guchan; Assistant director: Qian Yunda; Length: 40 minutes; Year: 1963; Producer: Shanghai Film Studio 191 10.82 Shaanxi shadow puppetry art 194 10.83 Northern paper cutting 194 xx Figures 10.84 M urals of Shanxi Yongle Palace; jade women (in the east of horizontal partition wall of the niche of San Qing Tien Taoist Temple) 195 10.85–10.87 A pair of swallows flew into the banana shrubs across the coconut forest. The bees were gathering honey on the banana flowers. The young man and the girl were shaking rope in the banana shrubs. The girl released the rope out of the basket, and the two strings of the rope were twisted together. The girl took down the end of the rope, took the rope up, and gave the end of the rope to the young man. They smiled at each other 196 10.88–10.90 A pair of butterflies were dancing in the flower shrubs. The young man and the conch girl were running to the grove. The girl picked a flower, threw it to the young man, and wormed her way into the grove. The young man tried to catch up. He climbed on a big tree, picked many flowers, and scattered them down. The conch girl was catching them under the tree. The young man climbed on the vine and swung to another tree. Finding a big red flower ahead, he went up and picked it, and then jumped down. He gave the flower to the girl, and she put it on her head happily 197 10.91–10.102 The young man and the conch girl were fishing on the sea. The girl was sculling, and the young man was standing on the bow with fish net in hand. The boat was floating on the sea, and the young man cast the fishing net into the sea. Soon, they pulled the fishing net up, and many fishes were jumping in it. The young man threw them to the girl, and the girl put them in the cabin. A big fish was struggling in his hands, and the girl came to help him to put it in the cabin 199 10.103 Title: Princess Peacock; Original work: epic Zhaoshutun of the Dai nationality; Screenwriters: Jin Xi and Yin Kouyang; Director: Jin Xi; Length: 80 minutes; Year: 1963; Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 206 10.104–10.105 M odelling design of Nanmanuona and Zhaoshutun in puppetoon Princess Peacock (Figure 10.104) and modelling in the film (Figure 10.105) 206 10.106 T ask and scene design of puppetoon Princess Peacock 207 10.107 C haracter modelling in puppetoon Princess Peacock 208 10.108 C heng Shifa, Chinese Shanghai-style master of calligraphy and painting (1921–2007) 209 Figures xxi 10.109 Director Jin Xi of puppetoon Princess Peacock at work 209 11.1–11.4 Title: Where is Momma?; Authors of original work: Fang Huizhen and Sheng Lude; Art director: Te Wei; Screenwriter: Department of Literature of Shanghai Animation Film Studio; Director: Department of Literature of Shanghai Animation Film Studio; Length: 15 minutes; Year: 1960; Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 212 11.5–11.6 Qi Baishi’s ink-wash paintings 215 11.7–11.9 Earlier experimental ink-wash animated short by Shanghai Animation Film Studio which took the animals in Qi Baishi’s paintings as the prototypes: frogs, chickens, fishes, shrimps 216 11.10–11.12 Staff of the experimental team of Shanghai Animation Film Studio were at the preparation scene of the ink-wash animated film 218 11.13 Title: The Cowherd’s Flute; Screenwriter: Te Wei; Directors: Te Wei and Qian Jiajun; Length: 20 minutes; Year: 1963; Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 221 11.14–11.15 Li Keran’s ink-wash paintings 223 11.16 The background design of ink-wash animated film The Cowherd’s Flute was inspired by the traditional landscape in Jiangnan, China 224 11.17–11.19 The most tense scene in the ink-wash animated film The Cowherd’s Flute. The buffalo didn’t recognize the cowherd and was distracted by the running waterfall. The angry boy picked up a stone and intended to throw it at the buffalo 225 11.20–11.22 The three scenes of asking the fisherman, the cowherd, and the woodman were accompanied with distinct music, respectively 226 12.1–12.7 Title: Havoc in Heaven; Original work: Journey to the West; Screenwriters: Li Keruo and Wan Laiming; Director: Wan Laiming; Assistant director: Tang Cheng; Length: 117 minutes; Year: 1961 (first part) and 1964 (second part); Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 231 12.8 End of animation Havoc in Heaven: Sun Wukong returned to The Flower and Fruit Mountain in victory and put up the flag of “Great Sage Equal to Heaven” again 236 12.9–12.12 Frames of coloured strip cartoon Xi You Man Ji 238 12.13–12.16 E volution of Sun Wukong’s image design in animation Havoc in Heaven 241 xxii Figures 12.17 Modelling of Jade Emperor in animation Havoc in Heaven 243 12.18 M odelling of Taibai Jinxing in animation Havoc in Heaven 243 12.19 Modelling of Li Jing in animation Havoc in Heaven 244 12.20 M odelling of Erlang Shen in animation Havoc in Heaven 244 12.21 Modelling of Moliqing in animation Havoc in Heaven 245 12.22 Modelling of Nezha in animation Havoc in Heaven 245 12.23 M odelling of Taishang Laojun in animation Havoc in Heaven 246 12.24 M odelling of Molihong in animation Havoc in Heaven 246 12.25 Modelling of Dragon King in animation Havoc in Heaven 247 12.26 M odelling of Miracle God in animation Havoc in Heaven 247 12.27 M odelling of Xi Wangmu in animation Havoc in Heaven 248 12.28 M odelling of Local Village God in animation Havoc in Heaven 248 12.29 Exterior of Yaochi in animation Havoc in Heaven 249 12.30 Interior of Yaochi in animation Havoc in Heaven 250 12.31–12.33 Scenes in animation Havoc in Heaven: Flower and Fruit Mountain (Figure 12.31), Heavenly Palace (Figure 12.32), and Dragon’s Palace (Figure 12.33) 250 12.34 Weapons in animation Havoc in Heaven can fight with each other all by themselves 252 12.35 Sun Wukong’s fighting with Nezha was turned into the competition between two bunches of speed lines 252 12.36 Animators of Havoc in Heaven added the character Ma Tianjun, which foreshadowed that Sun Wukong would leave the Southern Gate of the Heavenly Palace 255 12.37 In animation Havoc in Heaven, Taibai Jinxing came to the Flower and Fruit Mountain twice to invite Sun Wukong to be an official in heaven 255 12.38 S tage photo of the Dragon King complaining about Sun Wukong in front of Jade Emperor in animation Havoc in Heaven 257 12.39 P hoto of the original painter Yan Dingxian of animation Havoc in Heaven was painting Sun Wukong according to his own expressions 257 Figures xxiii 12.40 P hoto of the casting people of animation Havoc in Heaven working 258 12.41–12.56 Coloured sub-scenes of the Peach Garden section in animation Havoc in Heaven (excerpts) 259 13.1–13.2 Stage photos of Soviet animation Grey-necked Duck (1948) 268 13.3 T itle: Why is the Crow Black-Coated?; Screenwriter: Yi Fan; Directors: Qian Jiajun and Li Keruo; Length: 10 minutes; Year: 1955; Produced by: Animation Department of Shanghai Animation Film Studio 270 13.4 Stage photo of ink-wash animated film Where is Momma? in 1960 272 13.5 Stage photo of ink-wash animated film The Cowherd’s Flute in 1963 273 13.6 Stage photo of puppetoon Magic Brush in 1955 278 13.7 Stage photo of animation The Proud General in 1956 278 13.8 Character modelling of paper-cut filmPigsy Eats Watermelon in 1958 279 13.9 M odelling of Sun Wukong in animation Havoc in Heaven (first part in 1961 and second part in 1964) 279 13.10 Background art of animation Havoc in Heaven 281 14.1 Stage photo of puppetoon Princess Hibiscus 284 14.2 Title of animation The Warlord 287 14.3 C ombination of real actors and animated characters in children’s program “Shuttle Machine at 4:30” 287 Contributors

Cao Xiaohui, Vice President of the BFA China Animation Academy, under- graduate in Art and Design from the Soochow Silk Academy (the previ- ous name of the College of Textile and Clothing Engineering of Soochow University), mainly researches in animation creation and education. Chen Shan graduated from Peking University and is Professor and PhD su- pervisor at the Department of Literature of Beijing Film Academy; Head of the film history and theory research group of the BFA Department of Literature; and member of the China Film Association, China Taiwan Hong Kong Film and Research Association, China Film Critics Associ- ation, China Collegial Association for Visual Arts, and Modern Chinese Literature Association. Joy Yuhua Zhu, Executive Vice President of the New York Film Academy, is a Chinese-American who got a PhD degree in Management and an MA degree in British and American Literature. To promote exchanges between the U.S. and China in film and television education, he established long-term inter-university exchanges and cooperative relations with Chinese colleges and institutions, in which professionals urgently needed by the film and television industry in both China and the US are trained. He is invited by many universities to serve as a visiting professor. He judged several Student Film Festivals and is always working to promote exchanges in film and television culture between the U.S. and China. Li Jianping is Professor, Chair of the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy, Executive President of BFA China Animation Academy, Secretary-General of the Animation Arts Committee of the China Art- ists Association, Vice Secretary-General of the China Animation Asso- ciation, President of the Beijing Film Animation Association, and Vice Director of the Cartoon Arts Committee of the China Television Artists Association. Ma Hua, Professor and PhD at Beijing Film Academy, mainly researches in animated movie creation. Contributors xxv Wang Hao, staff of Beijing Film Academy, master in animation creation and theories, mainly teaches The History of Chinese Animation, Introduc- tion to Animation, Animation Creation, and Appreciation of Animation Works. Zhang Yu, PhD at Film School of Griffith University, is animation teacher at Jilin Engineering Normal University.

Part I The embryonic stage and birth of Chinese animation (1920s–1930s)

1 Overview

Chinese people are born with a strong sense of dynamic images. But it takes thousands of years to bring their sense of animation from embryonic stage to birth till maturity. The origin of China’s earliest sense of animation can be traced back to the Stone Age, even before the birth of writing. Those early paintings, such as the rock paintings of Yinshan Mountains in Inner Mon- golia during the late Paleolithic Era, the rock paintings of Cangyuan county in Yunnan Province during the Neolithic Era, and the painted pottery basin of Majiayao Culture, reflect our ancestors’ examination and primitive experiments towards “beauty of movement” in a variety of activities. After- wards, the innovative combination of “image” and “movement” constantly pursued by people has brought us leather-silhouette play, puppetry, hand shadow play, and human shadow play, which were quite popular among the Chinese common people. Among them, the leather-silhouette play devel- oped into an ethnic story telling form with chanting, singing, and dubbing, using stage and light to add atmosphere. It has greatly influenced later forms of animation art in China, and even bred the “paper-cut cartoon.” While the Chinese were still enjoying a variety of visual tricks, daguerreotype, photography, and projection had been invented successively in the 19th-century Europe, leading to a photographic revolution. In 1895, the first public screening of the film clips by French Lumière brothers marked the birth of films. This was a time when capitalism expanded rapidly to the world. The movie, a novel invention in capitalist countries, spread all over the world along with colonial footprints, reaching China the second year (1896) after its birth. Movies were shown by foreigners who came to China. The door to Chinese film-making had not been opened until the shooting of Peking Opera T he Battle of Mount Dingjun performed by Tan Xinpei as laodan (old woman) to celebrate his birthday in 1905. It was shot by the Beijing Fengtai Photo Studio. Soon afterwards, those early cinematographic work including the first narrative short film and feature-length film were all published consecutively. Modern cinemas were also built at that time. All these have provided necessary technical support and a favourable environment to the birth of animated movies. The Wan brothers loved dynamic imag- ing since they were children. It was the inspiration they obtained from films 4 The embryonic stage and birth of Chinese animation that motivated them to develop Chinese animations. Early animations were often associated with commercials. The first animated advertisement produced by the Wan brothers was Shuzhendong Chinese Typewriter which was made in Shanghai in the 1920’s. Its birth laid a foundation for the production of the first animated short. In 1924, Chinese Film Company produced the animation Dog Treat, while Shanghai Tobacco Company produced New Year. The two were the earliest animated shorts in China. But neither of them had much influence. Inspired by cartoons like Popeye, Betty Boop, and Out of the Inkwell shot by Max Fleischer brothers, the Wan brothers produced Uproar in the Studio which was the first non-commercial Chinese animated short. Since then, the Wan brothers produced A Letter Sent Back in 1927 and Paperman Makes Trouble in 1930. Both cartoons, along with Uproar in the Studio, were considered to be the first three animated films in China. Later, the Wan brothers was lauded as the “fathers of Chinese animation” both in China and in Asia as a whole because they served as the first generation of Chinese animation directors. They not only produced the first animation with sound, titledThe Camel’s Dance, after overcoming technical difficulties but also produced the first animated feature film, titled Princess Iron Fan. This ushered modern China into its history of animation. China’s early animation works draw on various forms of artistic expression and image language. On one hand, traditional Chinese fine-art drawings bring a lot of inspiration to animators on their techniques of expression; on the other hand, the film shooting technology introduced from the West al- lows animators to learn how to use lens for narration. In the 1920s, Chinese animation had conducted numerous experiments and explorations on its painting and shooting technology. Such explorations mainly focused on the transformation from traditional painting to film painting, forming an animation production system with originality, converging painting, line drawing, colouration, and shooting in one. The artistic style pursued the realism of action and the coherence of movement.

Note 1 Literally means another village – Tr. Bibliography

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